Learning to Keep Alive

Ever made a list of things that you would want to do after you finished your exams, tests, chores or school?

Well, I’m one of those who never fails to have a long list that goes something like:

• Learn cooking
• Pick up baking
• Make videos
• Learn to use the sewing machine
• Scrapbook photos
• Read the stack of books

And on, and on my list goes…

But somehow, when I actually finish my exams, tests, and chores, I never actually get down to the list I was looking forward to, during the days of trudging through revision and exams.

Strange.

So this time, I decided: when I graduate I should learn the things I’ve always wanted.

I love learning new things, maybe because it gives me a new perspective on the things I usually take for granted. Like learning how to use the sewing machine made me think of human exploitation and sweatshop, or how a social enterprise could make use of such a skill. How about changing society with one sewing machine at a time? And learning how to bake inspires my heart to feed the poor and hungry, maybe start a cafe? How can we build gracious communities with food?

Sometimes it seems as though there are no unexpected-ness in our concrete jungle, because everything is man-made and humanly-controlled. Nothing to explore, nothing to surprise us, nothing to keep learning. Other times, driven by pragmatism and the disdain for failure, our culture keeps us looking in the direction of the road always trodden. There is no desire to break new ground, or look for a different way of doing things.

Perhaps learning something new could be a breath of fresh air, in our stifled hub of progress charts and utilitarianism.

I think everyone is born an explorer with a fire of curiosity imprinted on our souls. Learning new things keeps life alive, and the fire burning. It will be a sad day, when the fire of curiosity is snuffed out. Then, no longer will we be alive. Instead, we would be robots just making sure our world is surviving. Reminds me of the opening scene in Wall-E, where the robots were just clearing trash in an abandoned world.

So do something for the first time, try new things, challenge the old and explore new places.

Most of all, learning new things gives me the satisfaction in eating that pie or lying in my new pillow cover.

Nothing beats saying, “I made it”.